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Being the Illustrious Social Media
Inept that I am, it was no mystery to me that my birthday was splashed far and
wide throughout the "digisphere." Anyone who knows me, even a little,
is familiar with how cheeky I can be. Almost no subject is off limits to my so
called sense of humor; including my birthday. This year, like any other, the
visibility of my birthday was amplified by my self-deprecation and feeble
attempts to gather twenty dollar bills.

I was amazed at the number of
birthday kindnesses tendered to me from all over the world. So many in fact,
that if I were to respond to each kindness, I would be busy for weeks. In
grateful attempt to ensure no kind wish goes unpunished, I have decided that a
mildly syndicated blog post would be in order. It is my hope that all who were
kind enough to think of me this year, will receive my dearest gratitude and
wishes for God's blessing upon them and their dear ones.

This year has been one of reflection.
For some odd reason, of which I do not know, forty-nine has been an age of some
trepidation. As I peered into my past through the murkiness of my prodigal
seasons and the haze of post-traumatic stress disorder, I sought out to make
some accounting of my life. There is much of which to be both grateful and
proud in these past forty-nine years. I have an incredible wife and three quite
young boys. I spent twenty-six years serving the noble purpose supporting and
defending our Grand Republic as an active duty Airman, civilian contract
employee, and Civil Service Certified Occupational Master Instructor. While I
stumbled into times of distance from God, I look back with fondness the honor
of serving the Lord in many capacities.

In late 2009, I had to make the
crushing decision to medically retire from Civil Service. It seemed as though
all I was meant to do in life had come to a screeching halt. I then came to
recall a time in my teen years when God put a burden on my heart to serve Him.
The desire was great, but at the age of seventeen, I had no idea of ways to
enter the ministry. We had no money for me to go to Azusa Pacific University
and all my financial aid had been denied. It was time for Plan B; join the Air
Force. It was then that I began my thirty year journey to the present. I now
feel the calling more than ever. But, this time God has refined His vision in
my heart.

So, here’s
to another year of focus on God, family, and ministry. Thank you to all two-hundred
some odd of you that thought enough to take a moment out of your time to make
me smile by wishing me a happy birthday.